Disease-Modifying Therapy Use for Sickle Cell Remained Low 2014 to 2021
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Nov. 27, 2023 -- From 2014 to 2021, uptake of disease-modifying treatments (DMTs) for sickle cell disease (SCD) remained low, according to a study published online Nov. 22 in JAMA Network Open.
Terri Victoria Newman, Pharm.D., from the University of Pittsburgh, and colleagues examined characteristics that may be associated with DMT use among patients with SCD and described patterns of annual use from 2014 to 2021.
Sample A included 5,022 patients with SCD (2.9, 5.5, 17.8, and 73.9 percent inconsistent users, incident users, consistent users, and non-DMT users, respectively). The researchers found that compared with other use groups, inconsistent users had a higher prevalence of vaso-occlusive crises, splenic complications, pulmonary complications, kidney disease, acute chest syndrome, and health care visits. The prevalence of vaso-occlusive crises, acute chest syndrome, and inpatient and emergency department visits was lowest for non-DMT users; this group also had the highest proportion of adults aged 65 years and older. The use of hydroxyurea increased in sample B (6,287 beneficiaries with SCD), from 19.6 to 24.3 percent in 2014 and 2021, respectively. There was a brief increase seen in L-glutamine use, followed by a gradual decrease throughout the study period. Overall, total DMT use increased from 2014 to 2021, from 19.6 to 28.3 percent.
"Ultimately, increasing access to and use of DMTs has the potential to improve outcomes and quality of life for individuals with SCD," the authors write.
Two authors disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted November 2023
Read this next
Crude Sickle Cell Birth Prevalence 28.54 per 10,000 in Non-Hispanic Blacks
MONDAY, April 1, 2024 -- The crude sickle cell disease (SCD) birth prevalence is 28.54 per 10,000 non-Hispanic Black newborns, according to research published in the March 28...
Many Children With Sickle Cell Anemia Do Not Meet Quality Indicators
MONDAY, March 18, 2024 -- A number of children with sickle cell anemia (SCA) have low rates of receipt of recommended antibiotic prophylaxis and annual transcranial Doppler (TCD)...
Annual Indirect Economic Burden of Sickle Cell Disease Over $2 Million
WEDNESDAY, March 13, 2024 -- Adults with sickle cell disease (SCD) are more likely to report employment loss, and caregivers of children with SCD report more missed days of work...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.